


A late masque

by SaberNezumi



Category: The Favourite (2018)
Genre: F/F, Missing Scene, Mythology References, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 10:38:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17958896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaberNezumi/pseuds/SaberNezumi
Summary: "Do you want to be my Psecas, Anne?"Sarah waited for her answer, still smiling at her. Anne just nodded.A Greek tragedy unfolds in the middle of the night.





	A late masque

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the historical fact that Anne and Sarah acted in a masque about the myth of Callisto and Jupiter when they were little.

"On that occasion, I felt jealousy, you know."

"And what occasion would that be?"

The night had already fallen on Hampton Court. Although the music of the party being held in one of the great halls can still be heard, along with occasional laughter or shouting, a comforting tranquility reigns in Anne's bedroom. Resting on the great central couch, already wearing their sleeping clothes, the Duchess of Marlborough and the Queen enjoy the peace that surrounds them.

"The masque in which we participated when we were children."

Sarah carefully placed her teacup on the plate she was holding in her hands. She watched Anne at her side and remained silent for a few seconds, in which her mind wandered among some of her memories to rescue those of a teenager dressed in presumptuous and heavy clothes, acting as a Roman god, while declaring his love for one of Diana's precious nymphs.

"Jealousy? We were just girls", a subtle smile rested on her lips briefly, and Anne's heart flipped a little. That gesture always seemed to hide so many secrets, the Queen couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to decipher them all. "And it was just an innocent play for the Duke and Duchess of York." Probably not.

"Well, Lady Howard's intentions didn't seem entirely innocent, or am I wrong?"

Sarah's smile accentuated, while remembering the advances of Lady Mordaunt at that time. Shy at first, but already more shameless as the number of performances grew and she took hold of her role. The fact that Sarah had to act like her lover surely helped that fleeting whim.

"Will not have the years altered your memories, dear? It was just mere acting, rest assured."

Anne drank her valerian tea, but the absence of sugar in it was obvious and it tasted bitter. It's true that a good number of years had passed since those weeks in the Great Hall of Whitehall Palace, but the image of Sarah playing Mercury had been burned so powerfully in her mind that it was unlikely she was making a mistake.

Passionate, vibrant, in those days Sarah exuded dynamism and confidence beyond what Anne had ever seen. It didn't bother her to wear male clothes and imitate the way men walked or their gestures, on the contrary, it seemed to be something so integral to her person, just like a natural charm. At rehearsals, she let her hair down, and after finish practicing the dances that accompanied certain acts, a thin layer of sweat used to cover her forehead. Anne often wished she could get close to her with a piece of cloth in her hands and help clean it, but it would have been unseemly for a princess to dry the forehead of her mother's maid of honor.

"Anne", so absorbed she was in her memories, that for a moment she didn't notice Sarah's soft hands on hers. "What thoughts occupy your mind?"

"I remembered how much I wished I could play Psecas."

"Oh, I remember too, you were determined to have that role," Sarah began to draw lines on the back of Anne's hand, as if these were a secret path to those distant memories. "But a vile character like her was not suitable for an heiress to the throne of England."

"We were all in line for succession."

"Yes, but at those times, you were preceded just by your father and your sister Mary."

Silence flooded the room again. Anne bit into the inside of her lower lip when she felt a small twinge of pain in her right leg. She closed her eyes, resigned to her fate, the pain was a clear sign of a future gout attack. Maybe in two or three days more. She drank what was left of her tea and its taste only made her feel more miserable. She was tired, terribly tired.

"What brought the past back, dear Anne?", Sarah's voice was sweet, but distant.

"It was at the party," Anne's gaze lost itself in the dark corners of the room. "Godolphin mentioned sweet Margaret, who rest in peace, and her performance as Diana."

They both remembered her well. Solemn and silent, Margaret preferred to wait in another room between rehearsals and read biblical books than to participate in the flirtations that took place among the cast. She was the perfect image of Diana, the chaste goddess. The main reason she decided to only interact with the cast during rehearsals and the play itself was because Lady Wentworth had challenged Sarah to steal a kiss from her. And although she had barely turned fifteen at the time, Sarah wasn't someone who refuses a challenge, let alone now. She only managed to kiss her on one of her hands, but it was enough for a pink blush to take hold of Margaret's cheeks for the rest of the day and each time her gaze met Sarah's.

Anne sighed, which was accompanied by another twinge of pain.

She envied her past self, who could dance freely on the stage and carry the weight of those suits of fine fabrics, gold threads and encrusted gems without any problem. Without ailments, without restrictions, without depending on anything or anyone to move.

She envied Lady Howard, at that time a year older than Sarah, who seemed fascinated by her, although Sarah would surely deny it if she mentions it. Or maybe Sarah's fascination was born from the freedom that acting in a male role gave her. Anyway, she envied Lady Howard because no one prevented her from holding Sarah in her arms, and declaring her love for her, even if they were just lines of a script, at the top of her lungs in the middle of a room full of the most important people in the court. They applauded the love that was professed on stage, praised Sarah for the ability to make them see the fervent desire with which Mercury ran behind the figure of Psecas.

Her only consolation was the scene in which the nymph Nyphe, whom she played, entered the stage just a moment before Mercury kissed her lover's lips. Anne could see the disappointment in Lady Howard's eyes every time it happened, as she frowned for a moment, cursing inwardly. And although it was just a deception on Mercury's part, she also enjoyed it when he lied and said he loved Nyphe above all else, to ensure that she lost the protection of her goddess along with the other nymph, Callisto.

"What's wrong?", the tenderness with which Sarah stroked her cheek brought her back to reality, with its many difficulties. But the Queen no longer wanted to continue chatting, her past was a cruel mockery of her present, and that weighed on her.

Anne got up from the couch and, trying to limp as little as possible, slowly walked towards her bed, ignoring the worry that had taken hold of Sarah's eyes. She was about to arrive when she heard Sarah taking a few steps towards her, and then her voice, firm, clear, calling her.

_"In these Arcadian Woods I've lost my Heart."_

Anne stopped short. How many years had it passed since she heard those words being spoken by Sarah? But this time was different. It wasn't the voice of a girl discovering her newly charms who spoke to her, but the voice of a woman that knows what she wants and what to do to get it.

It sent shivers down her spine.

"What are you doing, Sarah?", Anne turned around, meeting Sarah's eyes again. If it weren't for there was no way to stop the time, Anne would swear that she could live in those eyes a thousand years if possible.

"My Queen, will you leave this poor god with an arrow in his chest?", Sarah approached, helping her sit at the foot of the bed. "To this god who persecutes the nymph he loves. Although, I would have more luck going in search of the fleeting wind."

Anne, still somewhat confused, remained silent. She tried to find the words, but her lips stayed closed, mute. A blush of embarrassment stained her cheeks. She didn't have the spontaneity or the ease of her lover. Noticing the doubt that was afflicting the Queen, Sarah ended up shortening the distance that separated them, so that she could whisper in her ear.

"Do you want to be my Psecas, Anne?", her voice was like the most exquisite caress. "I know you know the dialogues, I remember well that you practiced them even though the role assigned to you was another."

Sarah waited for her answer, still smiling at her. Anne just nodded.

"Okay, but I'll need you to close your eyes for a few minutes and wait for me, is that alright?", Sarah kissed Anne's forehead before taking her hands in hers, to guide them to the queen's face and cover her eyes with them. "It will only be a few minutes, wait for me."

In the darkness, Anne nodded again, and a few seconds later she heard the door that led to the passageway that linked her bedroom with Sarah's open, then closed again. She could still hear the party that seemed didn't want to stop, but above these, Anne was sure she could hear the frantic beats of her heart. She ran her tongue over her parched lips. And suddenly she was very aware of her breathing. Attention, inspire, attention, exhale. Only the sound of Sarah returning to the room was able to stop the river of thoughts in which she seemed to be drowning.

"You can open your eyes."

There she was, as if she had come straight from those rehearsals, so many years ago, but somehow even more captivating, even more handsome and elegant. For a few seconds, Anne was sure she forgot how to breathe. Maybe it was an illusion created by the light of the multiple candles that adorned the room, but was that a slight blush on Sarah's cheeks that she saw? The Queen could not quite make sure. With her hair falling to the side of her face and over one of her shoulders, Sarah wore one of her husband's white linen shirts, which barely concealed her bare skin beneath it. She wore her riding pants and boots, which gave her the manly touch required for the role. The simplicity of her attire didn't diminish the impact she was having on Anne, her emotions, and her body.

 _"Pursue the Wind? Rather a Storm I chase. Which turns to dash her Fury in my Face"_ , Sarah began reciting the verses of Mercury, lamenting that she could not be with her beloved. The emotion that she professed in her voice had a depth far greater than that of those years. The weight of her experiences reflected in an intimate and exclusive performance. _"Not in wild shapes, but in all Beauty dearest, that ever did a Humane Shape adorns. I've met my Nymph, and have my Love expressed, and never anything obtained, but scorn. She meets me, but it is to mock me still, and if she ever smiles, it is to kill."_

But it was Anne who seemed to die blissfully with every word. Sarah moved in front of her, graceful, just as if Mercury was carrying her through the winds. As if the ground wasn't worthy of receiving the footsteps of such being. Sarah extended her hands towards her, seductively, but without touching her body. Anne knew well the strength of those arms and how it felt to be held by them, with their naked bodies together.

Sarah watched her expectantly, waiting for Her Majesty to play with her. Borrowing Jupiter's words, Anne agreed to become the nymph Psecas for one night.

_"Disguised like her. I'll kiss. Embrace. Be free."_

How fascinating could Sarah be? Anne couldn't understand it. When they argued, she could see the intrinsic vulnerability within her, the human being in front of her, that beautiful heart beating in those hands, exposed and at the same time protected by an armor of security that the Queen doubt could be threatened. But those instances were rare, most of the time, when they spent time together, she ended up asking herself if they were made of the same flesh, of the same bones and materials. The way Sarah's body created lines in the air, the mirages that adorned her features as a result of the flickering light of the candles, the sweat that little by little became present in her skin, the deep abyss of her eyes. How could a simple mortal as she restrains herself? How could she survive the ordeal of wanting to possess her and to be possessed by her?

If the other members of the court saw them in that moment, they would surely question the mental state of the two. But Anne didn't care, at all, because in that room there were only them. The confines of that space belonged to them and no one else. A hidden kingdom within an empire, a small and vast world in the center of a palace.

 _"My Nymph!"_ , Sarah cried out for her, allowing herself to be only inches away from Anne.

 _"My Love appear to me again, welcome as sudden ease of one in pain"_ , for the first time since they began, Sarah let Anne touch her. Her chest clearly squeezes in and out under her shirt, and although she tried to hide it, her breathing also seemed agitated. With one of her hands, Anne slowly drew a line from Sarah's neck, down the middle of her breasts, and stopping in her abdomen. _"Where hast thou hid thy lovely self today?"_

 _"I am a dreaming now- Ah!"_ , surprised, Sarah bit her lip to avoid letting a compromising moan escape when she felt Anne's mouth close over her right nipple, not caring that it was through the fabric of her shirt. _"Ah… in Paradise; or this is some kind Image of my Fair"_ , she could feel Anne's hands, curious, warm, wandering beneath her shirt and caressing her exposed skin. _"My Charming Nymph… that pities my despair. Act on this sweet delusion, pretty shade. What pleasure does my Heart invade?"_

 _"If in my Love be any Bliss, thou shalt have more delight than this"_ , Sarah was forced to bring one of her hands to her mouth to remain silent while Anne raised her shirt and began to kiss the skin of her abdomen, then continue with her exposed breasts. _"A kindness equal to my former hate, thou shalt not wish thy self a happy Fate."_

But Sarah was never one of those who let themselves be dominated so easily. She put her fingers in between Anne's hair and pulled hard enough to force the Queen to meet her eyes. Both smiled, breathing in rhythm, and for a few seconds they just looked at each other. Admiring that carnal desire in which they seemed to sink more and more. Sarah gently caressed the Queen's cheek, tracing a line to the nape of her neck, just to lure her in and kiss her. The first of many kisses that night. Slow, wet. Without wanting to separate herself from the other too much, Sarah helped Anne up to her bed, while she also took advantage of climbing on top of her, trapping the Queen between her body and the sheets. Their favorite position.

 _"Can Psecas then do anything but kill?"_ , she whispered near her lover's neck, which sent a shiver of pleasure down Anne's back. She carefully used her knee to separate the Queen's legs, enough so that one of her hands could explore her thighs and center more easily. _"Psecas be kind, and yet be Psecas still?"_

They didn't finish the rest of the play.

It was late at night when Sarah thought of going back to her own room. She was about to get up to look for her clothes when something pulled her, causing her to fall back into the mess of bed sheets. She opened her eyes and met Anne's, who still held Sarah by the wrist. She didn't need a command from her, she knew what her Queen wanted.

"If it's what you want, but tomorrow we'll have to give John an explanation."

Anne smiled and curled up beside her to continue sleeping. Sarah kissed her forehead and stayed a few moments gently stroking Anne's head, playing absent-mindedly with her hair.

"Sometimes you make a fool of this Mercury, did you know that?", she thought before falling asleep too.

The next day arrived, and with it the return to the day to day reality of the palace. Breakfast with Anne, help her get dressed or walk with her through the corridors of the West Wing. Meetings with certain members of the court. The usual for Sarah.

She was amid an exciting billiard game in the company of her husband and Godolphin when they were interrupted by the untimely appearance of an interesting creature. Smelly and with her dress covered with mud, which contrasted sharply with her pale skin and golden hair.

"Lady Marlborough", exclaimed the newcomer.

"Oh, I didn't know the new sewer ended in here."

"It is I, Abigail. Dear cousin. I had a letter from our aunt... "

A Greek tragedy, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for any grammatical error. English is not my first language.
> 
> (1) The dialogues in italics were extracted from the masque written by John Crown. Sarah, Anne, and the other characters mentioned actually participated in the performances in those roles.  
> (2) Lady Howard/Lady Mordaunt were the same person. I thought it appropriate that Anne continue to refer to her by her husband's name, even though they were already separated by then. While Sarah, who seems to be much stricter in those subjects, calls her by her original surname.  
> (3) Lady Margaret was Godolphin's first and only wife. She died of complications after the delivery of their first child.  
> (4) Lady Wentworth was the sixth Baroness of Wentworth in those years, and participated in the court of King Charles II.  
> (5) John refers to John Churchill, Sarah's husband.


End file.
